Wagon-box.



no. 645,255. Pa tented Mar. 13, I900. T. ronsmzn.

WAGON BOX.

' -(App1icatidh filed. 055. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

Ill/[171%] m: umzms versus co.. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON u. c.

No. 645,255.. Patented Mar. |3',- -|900.

T. FORSTNER.

WAGON BOX.

(Application filed Oct. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

wit'naama a. a Q attozmmgo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS FORSTNER, OF SIGEL, MINNESOTA.

WAGON-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,255, dated March 13, .1900. Application filed October 5, 1899. Serial No. 732,665. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS FORSTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sigel, in the county of Brown and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wagon-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a collapsible wagon-boxof simple, strong, and durable construction adapted for use on any ordinary running-gear and capable of being quickly and easily set up or knocked down, but as firm and strong when set up as a box having its parts permanently secured together.

With this object in view my invention consists in the improved construction,-arrange ment, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the claims.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a wagon-box constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a View thereof in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rear part of the box on the plane indicated by the broken line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a View in end elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the hingeiron detached. Fig. 6 is a line sectional view on the plane indicated by the broken line 6 6 of Fig. 1, looking in the-direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of a double-height body, the upperside-boards being shown in dotted lines, with slight modifications' Fig. Sis a partial longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same, the front part being broken away. Fig. 9 is a rear end elevation as modified. Fig. 10 is a detail view in side elevation of one of the hookstraps of the end-boards engaged in a modified form of hinge-iron. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the hinge-iron of modified form. Fig. 12 is a view in side elevation, showing one end of the double side-boards with locking-lever and plate. Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view of the locking-lever for a double-height body.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts wherever they appear in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 8 indicates the front and 9 the rear bolster of any ordinary running-gear; 10, the bottom boards of the box; 11 11, cleats on the bottom boards to straddle the rear bolster to prevent the box slipping endwise; 12 12, the sideboards resting on the outer edges of the bottom boards; 13 13, vertical side bars on the outside of the side-boards extended to overlap the side edges of the bottom boards to prevent the side-boards slipping inwardly; 14, a clamp-bar adapted to extend across the body under the bottom boards and having vertical arms 15 15 extending slightly above the side-boards, and 16 16 angular lock-levers pivoted in the upper ends of vertical arms 15 15 and adapted to be engaged over the upper edges of the side-boards to hold the sideboards against outward or upward movement, allof these parts being of known construction and forming no part of my present invention, which relates especially to the means for securing the end-boards to the bottom and side boards.

17 17 indicate the end-boards, and as these boards and all of their securing devices are duplicated in construction and operation the parts will be indicated by the same numerals at each end and only one end-board and its securing mechanism need be described. The end-boards are rounded off at the bottom, as at 18. V

19 19 indicate irons, preferably of malleable cast-iron, although not necessarily so, which are secured to the top of the outer bottom boards just outside of the end-boards,

provided with upward end flanges 20 to support the side-boards against outward displacement and having their central portions 21 carried upward, as at 22, and provided with openings 23 in their inner sides.

24 24 indicate vertical straps or bars of iron secured to the outside of the end-boards, provided with outward-turned hooks 25 25 at their lower ends, adapted to engage in the openings 23. Their upper ends are passed over the upper edges of the end-boards and secured to the inside thereof, forming bearings 26, in which are slidably journaled the horizontal headed arms 27 of locking-levers, having radial arms 28, adapted to engage over the upper edges of the side-boards. Latchplates 29 are secured to the outside of the side boards, provided with central curved notches 30 to receive horizontal arms 27, and upper edges 31, inclined outward from said notches. Additional straps 32, secured to and straddling the upper edges of the end-boards, serve as additional bearings for the arms 27.

33 indicates irons (similar-in construction to irons 19, except that the end flanges are omitted) having upward-curved centers 34, with openings 35 secured to the center bottom boards outside of and adjacent to the said boards, and short straps or bars 36, secured to the outside of the end-boards,have outwardlyturned hooks at their lower ends similar to and in line with hooks 25, adapted to engage in said bearings.

In setting up the box the end-boards, with hooks 25 engaged in the openings 23, may be raised into vertical position between the sideboards againstvertical cleats 37, the arms 27 of the locking-levers slid outward into notches 30, and arms 28 turned down on the outside of latch-plates 29, when all the parts will be rigidly secured together. The engagement of the hooks 25 in openings 23 and of the arms 2'7 in notches 30 will secure the end-boards against end wise movement or tilting, and the arms 28 and flanges 20 will prevent outward or upward displacement of the side-boards, they being firmly held against the ends of the end-boards.

The middle clamp for the side-boards may be omitted, if desired, especially when the box is short or where there is no special tendency of the load to spread laterally, or any other means may be used for securing the side-boards at the center.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated in side elevation a body of double height in which certain modifications are necessary. The latch-plates 29 have extensions 38 extending beyond the vertical plane of the ends of the side-boards, so as to give bearings for the locking-levers in the rear of the upper side-boards 39. In Fig. 12 I have shown how it is necessary to usea notch 40 in plates 29 when the modified form is not used. The locking-levers having this hearing in rear of the side-boards, the irons 24 must be modified by turning their upper ends outward instead of inward, as at 41 in Figs. 8 and 10. In the formshown in Fig. 12 it would also be necessary to give the locking-levers an extra bend at 43 in Fig. 13. In Fig. 11 I show a modified form of hingeiron 19, which has the same end flange 20, but

the main body is fiat and hooks 44 are turned upward on the sides thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a wagon-box, the combination with the bottom boards and side-boards, of an endboard adapted to be pivotally connected to the bottom boards, latch-plates secured on and projecting above the side-boards and provided with a curved notch in the upper edges, and locking-levers provided with horizontal arms parallel with and journaled upon the top of the end-board, and adapted to engage in said notches, the locking-levers being also provided with radial arms adapted to be turned down outside of the latch-plates, substantially as described.

2. In a wagon-box, the combination of the bottom boards, irons transversely placed on them provided with outer vertical end flanges and openings in their inner faces, side-boards resting on the bottom boards and supported by the end flanges, an end-board, and vertical straps secured thereto having outwardly turned books at their lower ends adapted to engage in said openings, substantially as de scribed.

3. In a Wagon-box, the combination of the bottom boards, irons transversely placed on them provided with outer vertical end flanges and openings in their inner faces, side-boards resting on the bottom boards and supported by the end flanges, an end-board, and vertical straps secured thereto having outwardlyturned hooks at their lower ends adapted to engage in said openings, and upper ends bent over and secured to the upper edge of the endboard, and angular locking-levers journaled in the upper ends of the straps and provided with radial arms adapted to be turned down outside of the end-board, substantially as described. 1

4. In a wagon-box, the combination with end and side boards, of latch-plates secured upon the outside of the side-boards having projecting upper edges with central curved notches and downwardly inclined outwardly from said notches, of angular locking-levers having horizontal headed arms journaled on the top of the end-board and adapted to rest in said notches and with radial arms adapted to be turned down outside of the side-boards and latch-plates, substantially as described.

THOMAS FORSTNER.

Witnesses:

WM. PFAENDER, J12, JOHN A. TOBERER.

ICC 

